Matrix for typographical machines



May 13, 1924.

u :1 I g INVENTOR a flermazaii .i/ 'ezuzd H. R. FREUND MATRI X FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed March 17, 1923 1, BYwf/w I ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1924.

HERMAN R. FREUND, OF BROOKLYN. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR- T INTERTYPE CORPORA- TION, OF BROOKLYN. NEW YORK. A CORPORATION OF YORK.

MATRIX FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

Application filed March 17, 1923.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN R. FREUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matrices for Typographical Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in matrices of the kind adapted for use in typographical machines, and more especially in machines of the linotype class, substantially as shown and described in Letters Patent No. 436,532, granted September 16, 1890, to O. Mergenthaler, the invention being applicable more particularly to the relatively thick or wide-face matrices, such as those used in advertising, display and similar matter.

The broadening of the range of work done on typographical machines has brought into common use large display character matrices and in using the usual form of such matrices in lines of moderate length in machines of the linotype class as ordinarily constructed, no serious difiiculties were encountered.

However, in extending the use of such ma,

chines to the casting of type bars or slugs of increased or greater lengths, certain difficulties are presented in the handling of such wide-face or large display character matrices. It was found that the wide-face matrices when used in lines of increased lengths, had a tendency to assume a pronounced inclined position when hanging loosely in the so-called first elevator, which, in machines of this class, receives the composed line of matrices and spacers'and conveys it to a position in front of the mold and between the vise jaws which confine the line endwise. The pronounced inclination assumed by these wide-face matrices when used in relatively long lines, was due to the loose hanging of such matrices from the usual lugs or ears which are located at one side of the matrix body, and hence at one side of the center of weight of the matrix, and such inclination was permitted to occur because of the greater. amount of looseness or play existing in a matrix line of increased length; and the resulting inclination of the matrices presented difliculties in bringing the line into position betweenthe vise jaws and in straightening up or squaring. the matrices Serial No. 625,762.

with the mold or other cooperating parts of the machine, when the usual justifying means attempted to drive up the expansible spacers.

The primary object of the present invention is to obviate such difficulties and to otherwise facilitate the use of suchwide face matrices, it providing a matrix which is so constructed that it may not only be handled by the various mechanisms of the machine in the manner usual with the ordinary or relatively thin matrices, but which is capable of cooperating with the jaws of the first elevator in such a manner that it will be caused, at all times, to stand erect or vertical therein and to thereby insure correct entrance of the matrix line between the vise jaws and proper presentation of'the matrices'to the mold, so that the justification means may operate properly and without difiiculty to drive up the spacers in the manner usual in machines of this class.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 represents a rear elevation of the so-called first elevator of a typographical machine of the linotype class, this figure illustrating to a somewhat exaggerated degree, the manner in which wide-face or display-character matrices of the usual form, together with the space bands, assume a pronounced inclination while hanging loosely in the first elevator;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating the manner in which wide-face or display-character matrices, constructed in accordance with the present invention, together with the spacers, occupy true upright or vertical positions while hanging in the first elevator;

Figure 3 represents a transverse section through the first elevator, the mold and the metal pot, showing the line of matrices and 'tl1 spacers in position in front of the mold;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a wideface or display-character matrix constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 is a collective view showing respectively the upper part in side elevation and a top plan of a wide face or. display elevator.

character matrix of the usual form heretofore used; and T Figure 6 is a similar view of a wideface or displaycharacter matrix of the form em- .bodying the present invention.

derstood that the invention is not restricted tot-he precise construction shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplated and these will be included within the scope of the claims.

In the present instance, which illustrates the invention as applied to wide-face or dis play-character matrices of the kinds suitable for use in typographical machines of the linotype class, the first elevator 1 corresponds to the first elevator commonly used in machines of this class for conveying the composed lines of matrices and spacers to a position in front of the mold 2 and between the usual vise aws (not shown), which confine the line in an endwise direction. The first elevator, as shown, comprises a pair of opposed jaws 3 and 4 and an interposed spacing member 5, the opposed jaws forming a channel between themfor the endwise passage of the line and these jaws are provided with rails 6 and 7 which serve to support the matrices while they are contained within the elevator. The channel formed between the jaws of the elevator conforms in its dimensions with the outline of the matrix, although the fit between the matrices and the jaws is sufficiently loose to permit the matrices to pass freely into and out of the elevator by endwise movement of the line. 8 represents a part of the metal pot which may be of the usual or any suitable construction, its mouth-piece being adapted to cooperate with the rear side of the mold in order to enable metal to be injected into the cavity in the mold and thus cast a type bar or slughaving a characterbearing edge correspondingwith the characters'borne by the matrices which are presented to the front of the mold by the first Prior to the casting operation, the expansible spacers are forced upwardly by the justifying means, whereby the composed line is expanded to fill the space between the vise jaws and the line isjustified.

VVide-face or display-character matrices as heretofore used, comprised a body M, whose opposite edges m extended continuously from-top to bottom of the matrix and guiding ears or lugs L projected from the upper and lower corners of the matrix body adjacent to or near one side of the matrix.

(Fig. 5.) In using such matrices in the composition of lines of increased length, the line including such matrices, when introduced into the first elevator, assumed a condition substantially like that shown in Figure 1, the wide-face or display-character matrices in the line assuming a pronounced inclination ordeviation from the vertical, owing to the facts that such matrices hung loosely from the upper pair of ears or lugs L, which are offset to one side of the center of weight of the matrix, and the amount of looseness or play in the line of increased length permitted such matrices to tilt considerably from the vertical. Any spacer in the line, such as the spacer S at the left in Figure l, which happened to be interposed between such wide-face matrices was similarly tilted or deflected out of the vertical. lVhile the line is suspended on the first elevator, following its delivery thereto by the usual line carriage, the line is unconfined longitudinally and hence pronounced inclination of the wide-face matrices, as above described, is free to take place, with the result that the line becomes spread out. Descent of the first elevator to carry the line of matrices into position in front of the mold and between the vise jaws is likely to be interfered with, due to the line being longer than the space between the vise jaws, and if such a line is received between the vise aws, the matrices will be out of square with the mold, thus presenting difliculties in bringing the matrices into proper casting relation with the mold, and furthermore, some or all of the spacers may stand at an incline to the vertical, thus interfering with the operation of the justifying means which pushes the spacers upwardly to fill out the line between the vise jaws and thereby justify it.

The present invention provides a wideface or display-character matrix of improved form or construction and which is adapted to cooperate with the first elevator when introduced therein, in such a manner that it will maintain a true upright or vertical position, thereby obviating the difficulties which have been found to exist with wid'e-face matrices of the form heretofore used. The improved matrix, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 6, comprises a body M which may be similar to the body M of the previously used matrices, except that its edges m, corresponding to the edges m of the previously used matrices, proceed only to the ears or lugs L, at which point ledges or shoulders m are formed by leaving shallow shoulders m on the sides of the matrix body and'which project outwardly slightly beyond the planes of the sides 912/. These ledges or shoulders extend preferably throughout the width or thickness of the matrix body and at right angles to the vertical dimension of the matrix. These ledges or shoulders also preferably coincide with the lower edges of the usual lugs or ears L, so that when matrices so constructed are introduced into the first elevator, the ledges m will rest on the rails 6 and 7 therein and thereby support the matrices at the proper elevation. These ledges will extend parallel to the rails 6 and 7 and hence they will support the matrices in true upright or vertical position, substantially as shown in Figure 2, the spacers in consequence also occupying true upright or vertical positions. Similar ledges m are also preferably formed by providing shoulders m in the regions ofthe lower lugs L of the matrix, as is shown in Figures 2 and 4, the lower ledges preferably coinciding with the upper edges of the lower lugs. In each instance, the ledges or shoulders are shallower in depth than the lugs but are wider than the lugs, the ledges preferably extending across the entire width of the front and rear edges of the matrix body.

A composed line containing wide-face or display-character matrices constructed in accordance with the present invention will not spread lengthwise while the line is in the first elevator, so that correct reception of the line by the vise jaws is insured, and moreover, the matrices will all be presented squarely to the mold and the spacers will be in upright position, thus enabling the justifying mechanism of the machine to operate properly to fill out the line and to justify it. Matrices embodying the present invention, moreover, are adapted to be handled by the various elements or mechanisms of the machine in the same way that matrices of the kinds heretofore commonly used, have been handled, the ears or lugs L being retained so that while they are not relied upon to support the matrices while in the first elevator, yet these lugs may function to guide the matrices in the magazine, to cooperate with the matrix distributor screws, and to otherwise perform the functions of the lugs or ears as commonly used on matrices.

I claim as my invention 1. A matrix for line casting machines comprising a character-bearing body having guiding lugs projecting from its opposite edges, and ledges of greater width but less depth projecting from its said opposite edges.

2. A character-bearing matrix for typographical machines comprising a body having lugs projecting from its opposite edges adjacent to the top thereof which lugs are of less thickness than that of said body and having ledges projecting from its edges which are of greater width but less depth than said lugs.

3. A matrix for typographical machines comprising a body having guiding lugs, and supporting ledges projecting outwardly from the body on its opposite sides and respectively extending transversely across said sides the guiding lugs being of less width than said supporting ledges and projecting outwardly from and beyond the latter.

4:. A matrix for typographical machines comprising a character-bearing body having supporting ledges projecting outwardly from the opposite edges of the body and transversely across the full width of said bodyand guiding lugs of less width than said ledges and projecting outwardly beyond the ledges, the ledges and the corre sponding lugs being located at substantially the same elevation on the matrix.

5. A matrix for typographical machines comprising a character-bearing body having lugs of less width than that of the body and projecting outwardly from its opposite edges, and ledges of less depth but greater width than said lugs projecting outwardly from said opposite edges of the body and extending transversely of said edges to support the matrix in upright position.

6. A matrix for typographical machines comprising a cl1aracter-bearing body having lugs of less width than that of the body and projecting outwardly from its opposite edges adjacent to the upper and lower corners of the body, and ledges of less depth than said lugs and projecting from said opposite edges of the body and extending across said edges at right angles to the vertical dimension of the matrix.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HERMAN R. FREUN D. 

